Barriers of Nutrition Services for Pregnant Mothers Attending in the Hospitals Dhaka

Abstract

“Barriers of nutrition services for pregnant mother” remains one of the major public health problems in many parts of the world, especially in a developing country like Bangladesh. Several socioeconomic and demographic factors are responsible for this condition. Nutrition is one of the basic human right, with both equity and equality related to eliminating malnutrition and ensuring human development. Though Bangladesh has achieved a significant reduction in under nutrition over the past two decades, still the prevalence of malnutrition in pregnant mother in Bangladesh is one of the highest among the developing countries. National nutrition services (NNS) has been leading the nutrition services through the platforms of public health curative facilities by mainstreaming implementations of nutrition interventions into health (DGHS) and family planning (DGFP). In order to reach the objectives of the study, a cross-sectional method approach was applied, where qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data were collected by face-to-face interview using pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. The other methods of data collection in-depth interviews (IDIs), where conducted among the pregnant women to assess their nutrition services seeking pattern, received nutrition services, and their needs related to nutrition services. In pregnant women government health facilities played a major role (76.9%) in providing nutrition services to the pregnant women. This was confirmed by the pregnant women, who preferred visiting govt. health facilities situated near to their houses. They also received nutrition services at household level more by the Non-government organization (NGO) health services provides than the govt. healthcare providers (25.5% vs. 22.8%). Across the study areas, mostly counselled topic among the pregnant women was IFA intake, consumption of extra meal and nutrition food, whereas exclusive breastfeeding and colostrum were less counselled. Pregnant women of slum areas were least counselled on all the nutritional issues. Highest proportion of pregnant women in attending govt. hospitals received IFA and calcium, respectively. The respondents received most their nutrient supplement /medicines from the govt. health facilities compared to other facilities, which includes IFA, calcium, vitamin A, zinc, ORS, and Albendazole. The purpose of the study is to find the existing nutrition services in Bangladesh and causes why pregnant mother are not able to receive this facilities. If receive then how much. For increasing the awareness of nutrition and the availability of its services, nutrition campaigns, courtyard meetings. There should be provisions for qualified and component healthcare providers, who receive frequent training's to improve their quality of services delivery. Recruitment and allotment of female healthcare providers in various levels of health care delivery system will increase the service seeking and receiving pattern of the recipients.